Nutritional supplement and process of preparation

ABSTRACT

Processes for producing a nutritional supplement that contains sulforaphane, and supplements formed thereby. Such a process includes combining a cruciferous vegetable, for example, broccoli sprouts, with strains of  Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus , and  Streptococcus  to form a mixture, causing the mixture to undergo lactic acid fermentation, transform a glucosinolate within the cruciferous vegetable to sulforaphane, and yield a fermented mixture that contains sulforaphane, and then producing from the fermented mixture a supplement that can be ingested by an individual.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation patent application of co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/081,713, filed Mar. 25, 2016, which claims thebenefit of U.S. Provisional application No. 62/138,035, filed Mar. 25,2015. The contents of these prior patent documents are incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to dietary and nutritionalsupplements, and particularly to processes for producing a nutritionalsupplement that contains sulforaphane.

Sulforaphane is known as a long-lasting antioxidant whoseanti-cancerogenic affects were confirmed by in-vitro studies conductedby John Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1992. Sulforaphane isobtained from cruciferous vegetables (the family Brassicaceae, alsocalled Cruciferae), nonlimiting examples of which include Brusselssprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli (particularly broccolisprouts), and similar green leaf vegetables. More particularly,cruciferous vegetables contain glucoraphanin (a glucosinolate), whichreacts with myrosinase (an enzyme present in the plant cell) to formsulforaphane. The reaction between myrosinase and glucosinolate occursin the gut after glucosinolate is made available by chewing, such thatsulforaphane is produced after eating.

Despite their nutritional and health benefits, including being a sourceof sulforaphane, broccoli sprouts have certain disadvantages that havelimited their use. For example, broccoli sprouts tend to spoil quicklyand contamination with coliform bacteria is a known safety issue, withthe result that the consumption of broccoli sprouts is often accompaniedby unwanted additives. A variety of sulforaphane powders, pills andprobiotics are commercially available. However, sulforaphane powdermixed in water is only stable over a short period and must be consumedas soon as possible, often within thirty minutes of mixing.

Accordingly, there is a desire for a convenient and durable source ofsulforaphane that is capable of delivering the nutritional benefits ofsulforaphane, aside from the direct consumption of fresh broccolisprouts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a process for producing a nutritionalsupplement that contains sulforaphane, and supplements formed thereby.

According to one aspect of the invention, a process of producing asulforaphane-containing nutritional supplement includes combining acruciferous vegetable, for example, broccoli sprouts, with strains ofBifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus to form a mixture,causing the mixture to undergo lactic acid fermentation, transform aglucosinolate within the cruciferous vegetable to sulforaphane, andyield a fermented mixture that contains sulforaphane, and then producingfrom the fermented mixture a supplement that can be ingested by anindividual.

Another aspect of the invention is a supplement produced by a processcomprising the steps described above.

Technical effects of the process and supplement as described abovepreferably include the ability to provide a source of sulforaphane thatis capable of delivering the nutritional benefits of sulforaphane, butavoids drawbacks associated with the consumption of cruciferousvegetables such as broccoli sprouts.

Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be furtherappreciated from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 represents a flow diagram of a process for producing anutritional supplement in accordance with a nonlimiting embodiment ofthis invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An overview of a process for producing a sulforaphane-containingnutritional supplement is represented in FIG. 1. The process ismicrobiologically safe and yields a durable natural formula thatcontains sulforaphane prior to be ingested by an individual, and iscapable of delivering benefits to the individual when ingested.

FIG. 1 and the following discussion will make specific reference to theproduction of sulforaphane from broccoli sprouts, though it isforeseeable that the steps disclosed below are applicable to theproduction of sulforaphane from other cruciferous vegetables(Brassicaceae). As outlined in FIG. 1, broccoli seeds are preferablysanitized before being planted to grow broccoli sprouts. As used herein,the term broccoli sprouts will refer to new growth from seedgermination, for example, a plant that is a few (e.g., three to four)days old. After harvest, the sprouts are preferably washed and dried,for example, to reduce the presence of bacteria on the sprouts. Thesprouts are then combined with ingredients that, in investigationsleading to the present invention, were shown to trigger a lactic acidfermentation that transforms glucosinolate contained in the sprouts tosulforaphane. Fermentation produces sulforaphane without requiringchewing or otherwise physically breaking up the sprouts to make theglucosinolate available and without the requirement for contacting andreacting the sprouts with myrosinase. According to a particular butnonlimiting embodiment of the invention, the broccoli sprouts arecombined with multiple strains of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, andStreptococcus, which are part of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) groupand known as probiotics. In combination, strains employed by the processhave been found to trigger a lactic acid fermentation that transformsglucosinolate to sulforaphane, yielding a sulforaphane-containingproduct (“supplement”).

The fermentation has been successfully conducted in anaerobic and darkenvironments (i.e., shielded from and preferably in the absence ofnatural and artificial lighting) at room temperatures (for example,about 20° C.). The fermentation step has been successfully conducted inmanmade containers, and is believed will occur within a wide variety ofcontainer. As such, the process results in the presence of sulforaphanein the supplement, instead of sulforaphane becoming available in thehuman gut (gastrointestinal tract) after consumption of the supplement.The supplement can be considered to be a sulforaphane-probiotics hybridproduct having notable nutritional benefits, derived in part fromvitamins and minerals that are naturally present in the supplement as aresult of being present in the broccoli sprouts from which thesupplement was produced.

The reaction that forms the sulforaphane does not require that thesulforaphane-containing supplement is produced in the form of a pill orpowder. Instead, the supplement produced by the fermentation process canremain in the form of a consumer food item, in other words, a food itemthat can be directly ingested by an individual instead of being furtherprocessed, for example, to extract the sulforaphane for consumption as aconcentrated supplement. Such a food item can be essentially fermentedbroccoli sprouts that can be packaged for consumption as a salad, as aningredient to a salad, sandwich, soup, etc., as a condiment, or added toa processed food product such as a snack, yogurt, drink, etc.

In view of the above, though referred to as a supplement, the fermentedbroccoli sprouts can be made available as food items in a variety ofphysical forms. In addition to consumer food items, the supplement maybe processed and packaged for use by medical personnel, nutritionalists,etc., in a variety of industries and practices, for example, as a pill,powder, etc., for use in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, preventativemedicines, food processors, etc. In each case, the ultimate intent isfor the supplement to be consumed by an individual, namely, ingestedthrough the mouth and into the gastrointestinal tract. The supplementcan be particularly beneficial to individuals with digestive or otherhealth issues. The shelf-life of the supplement is believed to beseveral months at temperatures over a range of about 10 to about 15° C.

In a particular investigation, organic broccoli sprouts germinated overthree days were washed three times in non-chlorinated purified water,after which the following twelve selected strains of Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus were added: B. bifidum, B. lactis, B.infantis, B. longum, L. acidophilus, L. brevis, L. bulgaricus, L.paracasei, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, L. salivaricus, and Streptococcusthermophilus. These strains were chosen on the basis of having knownphysiological benefits and antimicrobial capabilities. Sea salt wasadded to this mixture to create an acidic pH suitable for lactic acidfermentation, which was conducted in an anaerobic and dark environmentat about 20° C. After three days at these conditions, the mixture wasfound to be fermented and the mixture tested positive (0.130 mg/g) forsulforaphane. The LAB content of the mixture remained high (31000cells/g) and no coliform bacteria was detected. Coliform bacteria wasnot detected following storage of the fermented mixture in arefrigerator over a two-month period.

While the invention has been described in terms of certain embodiments,it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in theart. For example, though twelve specific strains of Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus were used in the investigation, it maybe possible that certain of the used strains could be omitted or otherlactobacilli could be used and yet yield a fermentation that willproduce a suitable fermented mixture that contains sulforaphane. Inaddition, it is foreseeable that multiple cruciferous vegetable could becombined and fermented. Accordingly, it should be understood that theinvention is not limited to any embodiment described herein. It shouldalso be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed aboveare for the purpose of describing the disclosed embodiments, and do notnecessarily serve as limitations to the scope of the invention.Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by thefollowing claims.

1. A sulforaphane-containing nutritional supplement comprising strainsof Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus that in combinationcomprises each of B. bifidum, B. lactis, B. infantis, B. longum, L.acidophilus, L. brevis, L. bulgaricus, L. paracasei, L. plantarum, L.rhamnosus, L. salivaricus, and Streptococcus thermophilus, wherein thesupplement can be ingested through the mouth of an individual and intothe gastrointestinal tract of the individual.
 2. Thesulforaphane-containing nutritional supplement according to claim 1,wherein the supplement is a consumer food item.
 3. Thesulforaphane-containing nutritional supplement according to claim 2,wherein the consumer food item is a fermented cruciferous vegetable. 4.The sulforaphane-containing nutritional supplement according to claim 2,wherein the consumer food item is fermented broccoli sprouts.
 5. Thesulforaphane-containing nutritional supplement according to claim 1,wherein the supplement is a pill.
 6. The sulforaphane-containingnutritional supplement according to claim 1, wherein the supplement is apowder.
 7. The sulforaphane-containing nutritional supplement accordingto claim 1, wherein the supplement is a sulforaphane-probiotics hybridproduct.
 8. A sulforaphane-containing nutritional supplement produced bya process comprising: combining a cruciferous vegetable with strains ofBifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus to form a mixture, thestrains of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus incombination comprising each of B. bifidum, B. lactis, B. infantis, B.longum, L. acidophilus, L. brevis, L. bulgaricus, L. paracasei, L.plantarum, L. rhamnosus, L. salivaricus, and Streptococcusthermophilus,; causing the mixture to undergo lactic acid fermentation,transform a glucosinolate within the cruciferous vegetable tosulforaphane, and yield a fermented mixture that contains sulforaphane;and producing from the fermented mixture the supplement; wherein thesupplement contains the strains of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, andStreptococcus, and the supplement can be ingested through the mouth ofan individual and into the gastrointestinal tract of the individual. 9.The sulforaphane-containing nutritional supplement according to claim 8,wherein the cruciferous vegetable is broccoli sprouts.
 10. Thesulforaphane-containing nutritional supplement according to claim 8,further comprising adding at least a second cruciferous vegetable otherthan broccoli sprouts to the mixture prior to the lactic acidfermentation thereof.
 11. The sulforaphane-containing nutritionalsupplement according to claim 8, wherein the supplement is a consumerfood item.
 12. The sulforaphane-containing nutritional supplementaccording to claim 11, wherein the consumer food item is fermentedbroccoli sprouts.
 13. The sulforaphane-containing nutritional supplementaccording to claim 8, wherein the supplement is a pill.
 14. Thesulforaphane-containing nutritional supplement according to claim 8,wherein the supplement is a powder.
 15. The sulforaphane-containingnutritional supplement according to claim 8, wherein the supplement is asulforaphane-probiotics hybrid product.